3 Pence - Higley Copper With Deer

Samuel Higley of Granby, Connecticut mined his own copper from a local deposit and struck these pieces without any governmental authorization whatsoever. When recipients objected to his self-declared valuation, Higley's response was to change the legend rather than the metal content — a characteristically blunt solution. The coins circulated locally by sheer social acceptance, not legal mandate.

No two are quite alike. Higley worked without a consistent die setup, and the known varieties differ in legend, punch arrangement, and execution — which is precisely why PCGS tracks them under six separate reference numbers. Surviving examples almost universally show heavy wear or environmental damage from decades in pocket or soil.